Signs of Spring

 

 

The wreath I made for the front door (lots of searching for just the right eggs!)

 

Daffodils blooming all over town now!

 

 

 

The late afternoon sun (daylight savings time) filtering through daffodils and hyacinths in a corner of the garden!

 

Vinca (periwinkle) ground cover blooming in shady areas.

 

Soon I'll be seeing springtime at my daughter's (maybe her cherry tree will be a froth of pink blossoms?).  Seeing the family will be wonderful!

 

 

This big sister is delightful.....as is

 

her funny little brother.... who is a Big brother now.....

 

to these smiling toddlers! (thanks to my daughter for all these photos!)

 

 

I just finished sewing some Liberty cotton dresses for the twins, size 2!

The fabric was purchased by their great aunt in a shop in Montmarte. So soft and wonderful to sew!

I had enough to make matching bloomers for each as well....!

 

Time to pack and catch that early flight tomorrow!

The earth is calling.....

 

It is chilly outside today and that is a good thing!

I could have done this a month ago, but today it finally was time! 

 

 I cleaned out the old lasagna garden!

Raking the surface after pulling out last fall's dried plants, I saw several earthworms! Wonderful!

 

 

I planted two cool weather plants (which is why I said I could have done this a month ago!). Cilantro and "Rocky Top Lettuce Mix" from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds . I have grown this lettuce for several springs and just love it! It has 6 varieties of leaf lettuce and probably a thousand seeds in the packet. [Not wanting to thin so many baby plants later this year, I sowed the seed more sparingly.  It has been very reliable to sprout and grow almost 100%!]

 

There is always such hope in getting out into the garden this time of year! Nothing too difficult about sowing a few seeds, raking lightly, sprinkling softly with the gentle hose and then returning to reading the library book which was due yesterday....!

 

Returning it will be one of the errands later today! 

 

Cornish Frock is knitted and washed!

Washed, folded and ready to wear this spring!
 

I first wrote about this project here .

At that time, it was the first day of autumn in 2011.  Now as spring nears in 2013, I have finished the knitting!
It feels so good to have done this one! Much of it was in the last month while visiting Mom in rehab.
Yesterday , I stitched the pieces together, without blocking for once, measured and photographed the garment. See the first photo.  It was medium blue (as were my bamboo needles from all this indigo!) and 29 inches long.

 

Into the washer (with a regular dark load) it went.....and then the dryer.  What suspense! I went out to visit Mom and then made our dinner while it was in the dryer. (Steve was home, I didn't leave the dryer going  unsupervised!)

Ta-da!  It came out as it should, about 10 %  shorter all over.  I didn't measure the width....but it fits me quite nicely now....even if it also shrank horizontally....mostly though, it was a lengthwise shrink.
These garments traditionally have shortish sleeves, as the men at sea didn't need long armed sweaters weighting them down in their work!

It will continue to fade like denim jeans....and I don't plan anymore hot water washings....just to be sure...it will have cold baths. No more shrinking, we hope!
Thanks to Jane Gottelier  and the knitters of Cornwall traditions for a great pattern!

Another knitter's story. about knitting his Cornish frock....good information!

Changes and letting go of expectations, One day at a time!

I took the beautiful amaryllis, which now had 10 BLOOMS!, to the center where Mom is for rehab.  It was so cheerful in one of the open areas!

Now, the red amaryllis has become droopy and I have it back at home....it does have a new stalk with 4 new buds! Unstoppable for the moment! [ and because of constant weird effects of changes with Windows 8, this photo, below, will not open for editing....more letting go of expectations...I had wanted a vertical photo!]

So, let it be.....sideways! But you get the idea, growth and change...blooming and dying! And I can't control everything!!!!!

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Now to the other part of the story, my mother ( who has been living with us for 3 years) has had a stroke. She is in a nice rehab facility.  Last Sunday I baked her favorite chocolate chip cookies for a treat when I went to see her on Monday.

Monday morning came and before I was up and out the door, I got a call from her rehab nurse saying that she was slurring her words and a few other things so they were sending her to the emergency room to be checked.

I grabbed my treat for her...the box of cookies.....BUT....duh....of  course, when one has a stroke affecting the tongue and speech, it also affects chewing and swallowing.  No more cookies for Mom!

Now all her foods have to be soft and liquids have to be thicker...

We got her a fine wheelchair, one that can recline to different angles when she is sitting for long periods. Here my brother, Hollis and I are taking her for a ride in her wheel chair and touring the halls of the place where she is living.

So we take it one day at a time now, Mom is sweet and thankful for the good care her nurses and CNA's provide. Some days she is up and in the chair, some days having to rest more....